Our Lady of Lourdes February 11 Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Lourdes, France

September 25, 2007 — calclockco

5:00 Immaculate Mary

In 1858 Mary appeared eighteen times to Bernadette Soubirous in a grotto near Lourdes.On Mary’s arm was the rosary and when Bernadette first saw her she fell to her knees and began to recite the prayers.Mary asked her to pray for the conversion of sinners and instructed that a chapel be built on the site.

On February 25th Mary told Bernadette to dig in the dirt.Water began to trickle out of the earth until it became a full-flowing stream.Many miraculous cures have since taken place here as people have bathed in, or been blessed with, this flowing water.

It was on the March 25th apparition, the Feast of the Annunciation, that Mary proclaimed to Bernadette, “I am the Immaculate Conception,” confirming herself to have been conceived without any trace of original sin.